THE Commercial Arbitration Centre (CAC) will on Friday announce its verdict in the dispute between Dynamos and Hwange over their violence-marred May 6 match.

Dynamos marshals assaulted Hwange coach Nation Dube and his assistant, Mebelo Njekwa, resulting in the pair being taken to the hospital and missing the match.

Team manager Andrew Zulu took charge and Hwange lost 4-2.

Hwange later appealed to the Premier Soccer League’s Disciplinary Committee who ordered a replay at a neutral venue, before Dynamos took the case to the ZIFA Appeals Committee who upheld the 4-2 result.

Hwange then appealed to the CAC which had withheld its verdict because ZIFA had not paid a $800 fee for the hearing.

According to CAC chairman and Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, ZIFA have proven to be “bad business partners in the past”: “We have had to wait for almost a full year to get payment for some cases we had been tasked to hear and we are not taking any chances this time.”

Desperate for a decision, Hwange paid the money on Thursday.

The verdict now expected on Friday will have a huge bearing on the Premier League title fight, coming ahead of the final weekend of matches with Dynamos poised to successfully defend their title.

Dynamos lead Highlanders by two points, but if a replay is ordered, that could wipe off three points from their tally leaving Highlanders top ahead of Sunday’s fixtures.

Highlanders travel to relegated Blue Rangers while Dynamos are also on the road to Hardbody in Gweru in the season's last fixtures.